DUNKERTON — As the game got longer, Dunkerton boys’ basketball co-head coach Todd Kuntz began to notice a trend.

The Raiders, currently ranked sixth in Class 1A, like to play fast. Dunkerton will press the entire 84 feet of the Raiders’ home court.

The player at the point of that attack, 6-foot-2 senior guard Brady Happel, can be nuisance for Dunkerton’s opponents, and Happel was doing his thing last Friday in a 64-32 win at Riceville.

At some point early in the game, Kuntz turned to his fellow coaches and noted that Happel had deflected, re-directed or stolen a lot of Wildcat passes.

Happel, a second-team all-state selection last year, finished with 13 steals in the game despite playing only 24 minutes.

“We didn’t realize how many he had until after the game,” Kuntz said. “We press full-court as a team, and he is at the front of the press. He plays so hard and is so athletic ... he gets his hands on everything.”

The 13 steals are not only a Raider record, but a single-game best this season in Iowa and ties for the 11th best single-game mark in state history.

“It is a lot of fun,” Happel says of the full-court defense the Raiders implement. “You can see other teams get really frustrated. We can score a lot of points really fast. We try to turn defense into easy offense and when we do, we get a lot of lay-ups.”

A season ago while averaging 14.9 points a game, Happel led Dunkerton in rebounds (144) and assists (143), while also averaging 2.6 steals per game.

“He has taken his game to another level this year,” Kuntz said. “Brady just kind of impacts the game at all levels and is really being a great leader for us. A perfect example for us of leading by example.

“Brady never stops moving. So many opposing coaches compliment him on his effort, intensity and leadership. There are very few things he doesn’t do well on the court and obviously that has an effect on our team.”

Happel spent most of the summer with backcourt mate Zach Johnson working on their games and building chemistry with a team that had to replace three starters off a 22-3 squad that lost by two to Edgewood-Colesburg in the 1A substate finals.

That loss is driving the Raiders, and the off-season work is paying off with Dunkerton’s hot start, which includes a season-opening 75-66 win over Don Bosco of Gilbertville, a team that took third in 1A last March.

“That obviously was a tough loss and just made us want to work even harder to achieve that goal this year,” Happel said. “Zach and I tried to get as many people to the gym over the summer because we had to replace a lot that we lost from last season.”

In addition to building chemistry with a cast of new varsity contributors, Happel was driven to the gym over the summer to improve his own game. In particular, Happel was not happy with how he shot the basketball a season ago.

Happel excelled at everything during the 2017-18 season but 3-point shooting, hitting just 29 percent (42 of 149).

“He always can get to the rim,” Kuntz added. “He is a good 3-point shooter, but he seemed to go cold at times. He spent a lot of time in the gym working on his jump shot. Through three games, and it is a small sample size, but he is 8 of 16 3-point shooting, and he is shooting 53 percent from the field.”

While that was an important part to improving his game, Happel, who also runs cross country and competed in four events at state track in May, says he and his teammates have to continue to get better defensively and cleaning up defensive rebounds.

With Happel and fellow starter Riley Tissue, also 6-2, the Raiders do their intimidating not with size, but all out defensive effort.

“Rebounding is definitely a key,” Happel said. “We are very undersized. We’ve got to win games on the defensive end, get big stops down the stretch and close out games in the fourth quarter.”

Had Don Bosco’s head wrestling coach seen junior Thomas Even make that facial expression or hobble ever so slightly on his banged up right ankle, a towel was at the ready to be tossed onto the mat.

Fortunately for Hogan and Even, neither of those things happened last Saturday at the Keith Young Invitational.

Needing just 3 minutes, 19 seconds, Even scored three pins, including two over Top 10 3A opponents en route to the 182-pound title that helped the Dons capture the 16-team tournament.

“I don’t remember him telling me that, but we did talk about wrestling just one match and then defaulting,” said Even, the third-ranked wrestler in 1A at 182.

After opening with a 1:22 pin of Brennen Graber of Denver, Even decked eighth-ranked Alex Blizzard of Bettendorf in 1:12 in the semifinals and then flattened fourth-ranked Cael Knox of Cedar Rapids Kennedy in just 45 seconds in the championship match.

“I just wanted to come out and pin everybody as fast as I could, and I worked hard at it,” said Even, who continues to go to rehab once a week while also doing daily exercises at home to strengthen the ankle. “I’m still babying that ankle a bit, but I felt 100 percent out there.

“My mindset every time I step onto the mat is I can beat anybody across from me, and I’m not going to let anything affect me out there.”

Hogan said he and the coaching staff will continue to watch Even’s body language with that ankle, an injury that occurred last year in football and kept him out the first part of Don Bosco’s wrestling season as a sophomore.

While producing an all-state football season as a running back for the Dons’ eight-man team this season, Even re-injured the ankle in Don Bosco’s first playoff game, causing him to miss his team’s quarterfinal loss.

But with steady rehab and rest, Even has opened the wrestling season 7-0, including the Keith Young victory.

“We talked about we didn’t want to see one wince,” Hogan laughed. “But he never gave us a chance to see anything like that because of the three first-period pins.

“But, honestly, we want to get him through the season unscathed. We want him for the long haul, so if there is a spot or time to rest him we will. That was not his mindset last year when he’d say, ‘It’s fine, it’s fine.’ I think he understands that better this year.”

If the Dons can keep Even healthy, they know he will be a critical component to bigger team goals. Hogan describes Even as compact and muscular and there is not much he isn’t capable of doing on the mat.

“He is a dangerous wrestler in a lot of different positions,” Hogan said. “He has a great double leg, he’s always had it, but we’ve had to coax it out of him a little bit to use more.”

Getting that ankle back to 100 percent is also important for Even’s bigger picture.

Fifth a season ago at 170 pounds in the 1A state championships, Even is ranked behind defending 170-pound champion Gabe Pauley of AHSTW and Tucker Kroeze of Belmond-Klemme, who was third at 182.

“I do see the bigger picture better,” Even said.

Even is also excited for his team, which he believes can use the Keith Young championship as a sign of what it can accomplish in February, when the Dons will be one of the favorites at the state traditional tournament where they are seeking their 11th overall title, but first since 2012.

“What, it has been 10 years since we won the Keith Young,” Even said. “It was a big accomplishment. That win shows what we can do”

GILBERTVILLE — Fearless, strong, disciplined and driven. Thomas Even can trace a lot of the attributes that make him a successful athlete back to his summer job.

“I cut down trees for my dad (Ron), which helps a lot with the strength and conditioning,” said Even, who spends his summers working for Even Family Tree Service. “When you’re 60 foot up in the air holding branches with one arm and a chainsaw in the other, it’s pretty rigorous.”

Growing up within a family of wrestlers that includes his older brother, Austin, who won an individual state championship, Thomas says he was initially drawn to the mat before gaining a passion for football later in grade school.

It hasn’t taken Even long to find dual-sport success.

As a freshman defensive lineman, he finished with 37 tackles and eight sacks on the Dons’ 2016 title team. Last fall, he was an all-state linebacker with a team-high 65 tackles for an undefeated championship team. Even also capped his sophomore wrestling campaign as a contributor on teams that won the State Duals title and finished runner-up in the traditional meet.

Crediting the example set by family, Even says he learned to value hard work and effort from a young age. It’s no surprise one of his favorite hobbies is lifting weights.

“I love getting in the weight room, trying to better myself, because I believe you can’t expect everything to get handed to you,” Even said. “You have to work hard and lift weights to get better. If you lift a lot of weights and you do it right, you can excel on the football field.”

In addition to leading 8-player’s No. 3-ranked Don Bosco into the playoffs with 73 tackles, including seven for loss, Even has become the Dons’ featured running back. He’s expanded upon last year’s introduction in which he averaged 14.6 yards and scored 12 touchdowns on 41 carries, by rushing for 1,327 yards (10.7 per carry) with 29 TDs.

During last week’s win over Riceville, Even needed just eight carries to amass 211 yards and three scores on the shortened 80-yard field.

“He’s one of those guys, when he touches the ball, he can make a lot of things happen,” Don Bosco coach Colby Yoder said. “He adds another dimension. People are going to struggle to tackle him with one guy. He’s kind of like a human pinball and it’s fun to watch.”

The junior within an 8-play dynasty has patiently waited for this opportunity, sticking to the healthy diet and conditioning learned from a wrestler’s lifestyle. That training has helped him handle the workload that accompanies the role of an being an impact, two-way player.

“Off the field there’s not many kids working as hard as he is,” Yoder said. “He’s got a lot of personal pride. That’s what I really like about him. He’s real confident in himself, and he’s played on two state championship teams. He understands what it takes to get to that level and he’s showing that he can play at that level.”

Similar to his freshman season, Even has seen the Dons try to regroup from a surprising setback in their homecoming game. Two years ago, they lost to Central Elkader before avenging that defeat in the playoffs en route to a championship. This fall, it was a surprising 18-0 shutout loss to Northwood-Kensett that served as a catalyst for Even and a few other upperclassmen to encourage the youthful Dons to refocus.

“We just had to take a step back. We had a players’ meeting with no coaches in the locker room. All of us players just talked it out, what we needed to do to get better, the type of mindset we needed to have. I believe we’ve been clicking on all cylinders since. We’re where we need to be for the playoffs.”

Added Yoder, “The loss, it’s something that maybe needed to happen. It got us a little more focused.”

The junior with a perfect record through two postseason football runs is ready to strap up his helmet for another journey beginning at 7 p.m. Friday when Central City (8-1) comes to Gilbertville.

“It’s the best time of the year,” Even said. “I’m pretty amped up about it, starting to get those postseason jitters. Playing good football teams, there’s nothing better than that rush when you step on the field.”

With plenty of high school football games and wrestling matches still ahead of him, Even says he’s begun to evaluate his college options in each sport. He has embraced his leadership role within a pair of teams accustomed to success.

“It’s been amazing,” Even said. “This school has so much tradition in wrestling and football. I’ve always seen myself as a leader, just because of the way I was raised. To have an impact on a great program like this is truly a blessing.”

WATERLOO — Kate Shannon couldn’t have anticipated a position change when she entered her fourth season as a starting libero on Waterloo Columbus’ volleyball team.

Yet a couple weeks into the season, one of the state’s top defenders found herself attempting to serve as a catalyst for her team’s offense.

“She definitely came in and interjected her intensity and focus into our offense,” said Sailors head coach Hanna Nuss, who moved Shannon to setter for a few matches. “I think she gave them a breath of life and we saw our team turn around and get more consistent. We’ve gone back to Emily Surma setting and Kate back where she belongs (at libero) but it gave everybody a dose of reality and gave Kate a chance to take over the team.”

For Shannon who hadn’t set since middle school, it was a unique challenge. She quickly received plenty of game reps as Columbus played three consecutive five-set matches with her as the quarterback of the offense, including marathon victories over Denver and Jesup.

“It was something new, that’s for sure,” Shannon said. “I had to do whatever it took to hopefully make the team better and change up a few things. I think it pushed our setters in practice to get that spot back and see if we can kind of push to be a better team. ... Being in the front row trying to run offense is pretty intense.”

A foundation for stability as a reliable passer and defender, Shannon has made an impact over her four-year prep career in the back row. The Iowa State volleyball recruit has recorded 1,495 career digs and 229 aces through a stretch of three state tournament runs.

Nuss points out Shannon’s natural instincts and athletic ability often trump form as she’s able to anticipate where an attacker is going. Her digs helped wear down Carroll Kuemper’s towering attackers during a five-set rally en route to last season’s state championship.

“A lot of times she can make up space with just pure athleticism and knowledge,” Nuss said. “It amazes me her ability to read and see the game. Even as a freshman she’s always had that natural reaction, and you can’t teach that.

“She just brings a lot of calmness to a team. It’s rare to see Kate Shannon look overwhelmed or nervous about any game.”

The youngest of three girls, Kate says she learned plenty from her older sisters, Emma and Sydney, who were multi-sport athletes at Columbus. Kate and Sydney were volleyball teammates for two seasons.

“Honestly, at home we’d get into it with each other, but they taught me that you need to work hard all the time and you also have to play as a team with everyone,” Kate recalls. “They taught me to play with fire and intensity.”

Shannon also carries that intensity onto the softball diamond where she has been a part of multiple state tournament teams as a starter since her eighth-grade year. Softball coach Chris Olmstead is another one of her role models.

“Sometimes playing volleyball I will try to remember his little pep talks,” Shannon said. “Also the girls I play with are outstanding. They’re always trying to get better so it’s really helped me try to do the same thing in volleyball.”

Shannon credits the experience she had with her Six Pack club team, winning tournaments and traveling throughout the nation, as part of her motivation to pursue volleyball beyond high school. Nuss is pleased with how Shannon was able to step out of her comfort zone, play a new position for a couple matches this season and remain a valuable leader throughout.

“The best part is seeing players grow and grow into positions that they’re going to take on later in life,” Nuss said. “Watching Kate grow from a freshman and being timid and seeing her take over and lead this team, as we’ve gone on through this year, she’s grown more and more in practice every day just taking the lead and finding her voice.”

While Shannon has never been part of a Columbus team that has lost a regional match, this year’s bracket may be the most challenging she’s faced.

The Sailors (23-16) open postseason play tonight at La Porte City trying to avenge a previous five-set loss to Union. If they win, they’ll likely face a Center Point-Urbana team that swept them in an early season tournament.

Still, Columbus has reached the last three state tournaments with 15, 13 and eight losses entering the postseason.

“We’re going to have to play for each other and be confident in each other and play to the best of our ability,” Shannon said. “We’re going to have to work as hard as we can, not let anything drop and try to stay positive.”

Beyond high school, Shannon is eager to continue to challenge herself. She says she’d like to fight for a spot in Iowa State’s rotation as a freshman.

“It’s going to be tough, but I’m just going to try to work my best and hopefully I’ll earn that spot,” Shannon said. “I’m going to try to do anything I can to help the team be better.”

CEDAR FALLS — Jack Campbell isn’t one to seek the spotlight, yet he hasn’t been able to dodge it in recent years.

The all-state linebacker from Cedar Falls worked his way into becoming a three-star college football prospect and one of the most sought-after recruits within the state’s 2019 class. A genuine and polite individual who was named Homecoming king this fall, Campbell was the subject of countless recruiting pitches last year after narrowing down his college search to Minnesota, Iowa State and Iowa.

Coaches from Iowa State and Iowa were frequent faces in the crowds at basketball games, while classmates also made the case for their favorite school.

“I’d go sit in class and some kids I wouldn’t even know would be harping on me to go to one school or another,” Campbell recalls. “I thought it was kind of funny. I’m kind of a quiet kid, so I just laughed.”

Whether playing with younger brothers Kyle and Drew in the back yard or inside a football stadium or basketball gymnasium, competition flips a switch inside Campbell. Cedar Falls football coach Brad Remmert and basketball coach Ryan Schultz each describe him as one of the greatest competitors they’ve instructed.

“He competes every down out there and makes our other kids better,” Remmert said, noting Campbell has caused his first-team offense problems since junior year during one vs. one reps. “If you don’t have it strapped up, he’s going to come in and hit you real hard so you’d better be ready to go. He elevates everybody’s play around him. He’s just a heck of a kid. One of the great players that have come through our program.”

That’s certainly high praise within a perennial playoff program that often ranks among Class 4A’s elite.

Campbell, however, is quick to point out success hasn’t come naturally. Dedication, passion and support from parents, stepparents, coaches and teammates has all been part of the growth process for a kid who once worried about trying to find his way off the junior high B team.

The son of former University of Northern Iowa offensive guard Dave Campbell learned from a young age the value of hard work.

“I’d really get down on myself and my dad would always be there for me and tell me that you’ve got to work for what you want to get,” said Campbell, who committed to the University of Iowa last spring. “I didn’t really ever think about playing college football until ninth grade year.

“I worked my butt off my whole high school career in the weight room and in the back yard with my dad helping. He’d get a little blocking pad out and he’d always work on hand drills. He’d push me, but at the end of the day it was my choice on how good I wanted to be.”

Drawn to the physical aspect of a sport in which Campbell points out you have to get yourself up after being knocked down, defense became his focus after Peet Junior High coach Steve Chidester pulled him aside in eighth grade and suggested giving linebacker a try.

“I fell in love with the position,” Campbell said. “It’s so fun to try and get inside the offense’s head and figure out what plays they’re going to run. ... The linebacker position is like the quarterback of the defense and I thought that was really cool.”

Campbell grew a few inches and added 20 pounds of muscle onto the 6-foot, 160-pound frame he had entering ninth grade. He earned a starting spot at outside linebacker as a sophomore before conducting one of the state’s top defenses from the middle linebacker position over the past two seasons.

As a junior, Campbell recorded a team-high 92 tackles — 11 for loss — while the 9-2 Tigers held eight opponents to seven points or less. He’s continued to cause havoc with his athleticism shining Friday as Class 4A’s No. 2 Cedar Falls (7-0) recorded its fourth shutout of the season against Waterloo West. Campbell went over the top of a blocker to bat down one pass and reached around a blocker on a separate play to pull the quarterback down with one hand.

“He just has this unique ability to read a play and react to it very quickly,” Remmert said. “He doesn’t have a lot of missteps in his reads and then he gets there in a hurry. He’s a very explosive kid who finds a way to the windows and gets the run-throughs. He’s always around the football.”

In addition to his football success, Campbell played center on a basketball team that won the school’s first state title last winter. Logan Wolf, Jackson Frericks and Sam Gary are among the teammates who also bring a championship culture into football.

They’d love nothing more than to compete for another title this fall on the UNI-Dome turf in their hometown.

“Just the mentality of always outworking the other team, we did that a lot in basketball,” Campbell said. “Even if we had a good practice, it could have been better or a school across the state could have had a better practice than us that night.

“We’ve been through everything together. When I look to my right and my left before we go out on the field, I have complete trust in those guys. They’re all competitors, very good athletes. They know what it’s like to go through a hard practice. I always know they’ll do their thing and they know I’ll do my thing.”

Driven to excel, Remmert has little doubt Campbell will succeed at the next level.

“Knowing the staff at Iowa and their strength coach (Chris) Doyle and how they develop people, it will be interesting to see the path he takes,” Remmert said. “I think he’s athletic enough that he can play standing up. He’s also got the framework that if they chose a different path, he can put his hand down as a d-end and play. All signs point to him having a great career at the University of Iowa.”

JANESVILLE — There are students of the game, and then there’s Bree Thompson.

Janesville’s 5-foot-11 senior studies film after each volleyball match, routinely filling a notebook page with areas for growth. Content is one word that’s not in her vocabulary.

“I’m very hard on myself as a player, which is good and bad,” Thompson said. “When I watch film, there’s always something I can be doing better.

“I write down stuff that I need to work on and I focus on those things during practice. The game is a game of mistakes, but technically how we do things can be changed.”

Thompson certainly has done plenty right throughout her high school career. The powerful outside hitter has been named a Class 1A first-team all-state selection each of the past three seasons with those campaigns culminating in state championships.

Last fall, Thompson earned Class 1A Player of the Year accolades and was named captain of the all-tournament team. Her 1,612 career kills rank among the top 15 on Iowa’s all-time chart since QuikStats reporting began in 2007, and Thompson is on pace to finish among the top five.

“She’s very strong and was a big hitter for us her freshman year, and has just grown and developed into a very consistent player,” Janesville coach Shelly Sorensen said of her program kills leader. “Our setters are able to find her in crucial moments in a game. She’s a big go-to person for us. She’ll hit out of the front row or the back row.”

The competitive mentality it takes to find success in athletics has been ingrained within Thompson from a young age. Her aunts on her dad’s side, Katie and Kara, played collegiate volleyball, while her mom, Tracy, was a strong high school softball player.

Bree’s dad, Tolly Thompson, grew up in Janesville and went on to win a wrestling national title at the University of Nebraska. He competed internationally, placing third at the 2005 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and has coached at the collegiate level for more than a decade.

Bree is the middle child of three girls, with her older sister Payton playing alongside her on the Wildcats’ 2015 title team. Her younger sister, Kendall, is an active junior high volleyball player.

“It impacted me a lot,” Bree said of her family’s athletics background. “I always strive to be the best, and then I looked at the things that they have done. My dad has accomplished a lot, my grandpa (Leonard Thompson) wrestled at Iowa State.

“They’re my biggest motivators. They break me down when I need it, and they push me back up most the time.”

Mental toughness is a trait Thompson says she’s taken from her family members’ wrestling background and applied to volleyball.

“It’s all a mindset,” Thompson said. “I tell that to my sister and other players on the team. You are the biggest person that breaks you down. You have to have the right mindset to be able to overcome those challenges.”

In addition to growing up in a volleyball community, Thompson has developed through club competition since age 10. She’s played in national indoor tournaments with the CIA Juniors, and last summer traveled to California to compete in a national 2-on-2 beach volleyball tournament.

“Sand is a very smart game,” Thompson said. “You have to use shots rather than swinging full all the time. I learned a lot of new shots. I think my sand game has impacted my indoor game. It makes you jump higher. It makes you quicker.”

Thompson is one of three seniors on Janesville’s team who have started since their freshman year. Two additional seniors are among the starters in this year’s rotation.

This Janesville senior class learned to win at a young age. Thompson can recall in eighth grade how they’d often dig early holes and battle back.

Not much has changed.

This fall, 1A’s top-ranked Janesville (31-3) has not only continued its dominance against small schools, but owns wins against large school giants like Class 4A No. 3 Independence and 5A No. 7 West Des Moines Dowling. Janesville captured its third weekend tournament title Saturday in Charles City.

“We know when we have to pick it up and what we have to do,” Thompson said. “We trust each other. That trust we have from experience has helped us come out on top those games where we were down and came back.”

Thompson has received interest from multiple NCAA Division I programs with a couple visits remaining on her schedule. She hopes to commit soon, and would become the fourth Janesville volleyball player within the past five years to secure a DI scholarship.

The senior says collegiate coaches often chuckle when they find out there’s only 25 students in her class. Janesville has become small town filled with volleyball players accomplishing big things.

“It’s just what you do and how you go about it, how big you set your goals,” Thompson said. “We all have that mindset that we want to do this and we know how to get there by working hard.”

The Mustang offense’s dual-threat leader put his talent on display Friday night, as he passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 150 and two scores on 30 carries during a 31-14 rare rivalry win over West Delaware. Independence (4-1) has already matched last season’s win total, when Schmitt and company began to chart a new direction.

The quarterback’s versatility and growth shined Friday, bouncing back from a loss to Center Point-Urbana with a win over a West Delaware squad that had defeated the Mustangs by 37 points last fall.

Reflecting on a signature win, Schmitt credited his offensive line and how well the team responded to adversity over the final two quarters. The Mustangs surrendered the lead toward the end of the second quarter, and a penalty stalled the offense’s final scoring opportunity prior to halftime.

“In the locker room everyone was like, ‘Guys, we’ve got to respond, how are we going to do it?’” Schmitt related. “We came out and we responded. We just took over the second half. Those were the things that impressed me.”

Not much seems to rattle Independence’s youthful quarterback, and it’s been that way from day one.

Independence coach Justin Putz had no hesitation in handing the reigns over to Schmitt as a sophomore after the Mustangs went winless in 2016. As an assistant baseball coach, Putz had already seen the talented athlete reveal a high level of composure and intelligence on the diamond.

“I knew he was a good football player, but I really learned how tough he was, how smart he was,” Putz said. “As you’re looking at a quarterback coming up, having that mental toughness in somebody I thought was going to play for us as a sophomore was really key.

“One play doesn’t carry over to another. He was the starting shortstop, arguably our ace pitcher as a freshman at the varsity level. To play those positions where you are in the most high-stress positions at that young age, and be able to handle all that and take everything in stride, that just shows you right there the mental makeup that he has.”

Schmitt reflects back on his freshman baseball season as one in which he found good role-models in the upperclassmen and matured. Competing against older athletes for the first time taught valuable lessons in responding to failure.

“When you start playing up against older guys, it’s just not all on talent,” Schmitt said. “The little things count. You’ve got to do everything right. You can’t just overpower kids.”

While Schmitt admits the idea of taking over the quarterback position as a sophomore for a team coming off a winless season was a little intimidating, he says he had faith that he was surrounded by a group of teammates capable of accomplishing something special.

Schmitt threw just six interceptions versus 17 touchdowns, passing for 1,361 yards and rushing for another 710 during a turnaround 4-6 campaign a year ago when five playoff teams were on the schedule.

“He was a difference-maker and he just got better and better, game to game, series to series,” Putz recalled. “He really doesn’t make the same mistake twice.”

This season, Putz has put a lot of decision making in Schmitt’s hands — giving his quarterback as much freedom with play calling, reads and audibles as any he’s ever coached. The junior has invested the time to find success.

“There’s a certain way to watch film,” Schmitt said, reflecting on the lessons he learned from last season. “You can just watch film casually or you can actually study it and get something out of it. It also goes with the game plan and practice. ... If you focus on what you’re supposed to do and make your reads during practice and game plan correctly and watch film, then you’re going to be a lot more successful.”

Schmitt is also a valuable addition to the defense. He’s playing safety for the first time this season at the varsity level.

“Defensively, the whole group is a lot of fun,” Schmitt said. “It’s really fun when you’re flying around hitting people and making the right reads and executing, holding opponents to minimal yards.”

With juniors filling the majority of the starting roles on this team, there’s little doubt Independence’s future is bright. The Mustangs may have the pieces to accelerate that timeline to the present.

“To see it turn around this fast has been awesome,” Schmitt said. “The junior and senior class, especially, has directly impacted the culture and tradition. It’s great to see that all these guys have bought in and listened to what the coaches have said.”

HUDSON — Most high school running backs dream of capping a season in the fashion in which Christian Seres concluded his junior campaign.

Hudson’s backfield workhorse ran for 210 yards and three scores in his UNI-Dome state semifinal debut last fall, before scoring one of his team’s two touchdowns in the championship game loss to West Sioux.

Seres, however, never grew up envisioning himself as the player carrying the ball into the end zone. Following in the footsteps of his older brother Matt — a two-time, all-state linemen who is currently a freshman on Iowa State’s football roster — Christian embraced the role of a blocker.

Hudson head coach Justin Brekke had different plans for the kid who had only played on the offensive and defensive line prior to high school. Seres entered his freshman season about 145 pounds, but was one of the stronger and more aggressive kids in his class.

“Our first summer meeting I remember telling him, ‘You’re going to be a running back,’” Brekke recalled. “He just lit up and said, ‘Really?’ The rest has been history.”

Through a rough freshman season of junior varsity football, Hudson’s coaching staff maintained faith Seres would eventually catch on to his new position.

“My freshman year I had no clue what I was doing,” Seres admits. “It was a lot different carrying the ball instead of blocking.

“I fumbled it over 25 times. I was always thinking, ‘Wow, I’m never going to get better at this position.’”

Following the example set by his older brother, who could squat over 600 pounds, Christian Seres went to work in the weight room, put on muscle, bought some new gloves with better grip and took hold of his new position.

As a sophomore, Seres led an 8-3 Hudson team with 103 carries, averaging 4.6 yards. He then opened his junior season in a timeshare with senior Cameron Fulcher. When Fulcher was injured after Week 4, Seres took over as the feature back and finished the year with 1,947 yards and 29 touchdowns during the Pirates’ run to the state finals.

“He was the guy that we had always expected him to be,” Brekke recalls. “He’s been absolutely somebody that we can depend on. He’s steady. You know what you’re going to get from him.”

Seres, who also typically covers the other team’s top receiver, has managed to still make an impact on the outcome of the only two games in which he hasn’t reached the end zone these past two seasons. The first on the list was a 5-0 win over Gladbrook-Reinbeck last season that snapped the Rebels’ 29-game win streak. Hudson’s running back tallied 49 carries that game through heavy rain on the field that became a mud pit.

“We were really glad that it was a mud bowl,” Seres said, reflecting on a game that was as fun as any in which he’s competed. “Slipping and sliding all over, we knew that was good for us. It just flew by so fast. Every carry was just put your head down and run as hard as you can.”

After Hudson graduated its entire offensive line, tight end corps and fullback from a year ago, Seres continues to make an impact during his senior campaign for a 4-0 team that has climbed to a No. 1 ranking in Class A.

His second start without a touchdown came during Friday’s 24-21 overtime win against then No. 5 North Tama. Seres was held to 30 yards in the first half before a pancake block by lineman Caleb Koelling set the tone for a second half in which the back rushed for 116 yards.

When a holding call moved Hudson back to the 21-yard line in overtime against the Redhawks, Seres got to the edge on an outside zone run and fought for a 17-yard gain as he refused to go down until he reached the 3-yard line. That play set up Austin Appleton’s game-winning field goal.

The former lineman continues to credit his success to the blockers up front.

“Last year I was kind of looking up to the linemen,” said Seres, who has 3,073 career rushing yards and 43 touchdowns. “This year, they’re looking up to me, but it’s really them who do all the work. I just run behind them. Props to them. They’re the ones doing everything.”

Knowledge of the line has helped Seres set up blocks and patiently pick apart defenses.

“You know just where the hole will be, or will end up being, and you kind of hesitate, wait a second for that hole to pop, and you explode right through it,” Seres said.

Also a member of Hudson’s state-qualifying soccer team, Seres is planning to play football at the collegiate level. He’s one part of a Hudson team determined to replicate last season’s success.

“We just need to get better every week,” Seres said. “We’re ranked number one right now and we need to keep it that way. We need to play with confidence.”

GRUNDY CENTER — It takes a lot to catch Emerson Kracht off guard on the volleyball court these days.

The 5-foot-11 junior setter and outside hitter has helped Class 2A’s top-ranked Grundy Center open the season 14-0 by making an imprint through nearly every skill the sport has to offer. She’s recorded long service runs, timely blocks, clutch digs and big kills, while also feeding teammates with steady set assists.

“I love being able to do different things on the court,” Kracht said. “If I’m struggling at one area, I always make sure that the other areas, I can pick those parts up. ... It helps me kind of calm down.”

Kracht’s versatile skill set is the result of a surprising challenge she received at the start of her freshman season. Spartans coach Lori Willis saw an opportunity for Kracht to earn immediate varsity court time as a right side hitter, while also spending the year training with the junior varsity team to become a setter.

The girl who played in the school’s youth volleyball program from fourth grade and competed against national competition with the CIA club team beginning in junior high entered high school with no setting experience. Willis, however, noticed good hands, beautiful footwork and the potential for Kracht to be the second setter in a 6-2 rotation that would accentuate the talent and height within her program.

“She thought I was crazy,” Willis recalls. “She didn’t see the same vision us as coaches saw for her.

“What she quickly realized is that she was capable of learning a new position and bringing so much value to the team. She completely bought in. She put in extra time with me working on setting. She really listens and wants to be the best that she can.”

Once she got over the initial shock, Kracht was intrigued by the new challenge.

“I was definitely interested in it because I knew it would be an opportunity for me to play,” Kracht said. “It (setting) has been a little more of an opportunity to grow than hitting just because I haven’t done it as long. This past year I’ve been more confident in my setting skills, but when I first started it was a little rough.”

Support from senior setter Sydney Mathews has enhanced Kracht’s development.

“We really help each other out when it comes to setting,” Kracht said. “We talk to each other about what we need to improve on, what we’re doing good. We have a really good relationship so that we can learn more from each other.”

The setter’s viewpoint has also helped Kracht become a more knowledgeable outside hitter.

“Everyone knows that the setter is kind of the quarterback of the volleyball team,” Willis said. “They have to make a lot of decisions based on where the pass is, who the hitters are, what their weaknesses are, and also counteract what is on the other side of the net. She has such respect for all the positions because she’s played so many positions.”

After setting and playing right side as a sophomore on Grundy Center’s state semifinal team last season, Kracht is among the team leaders in a variety of statistical categories as a setter and outside hitter this year. She joins seniors Kylie Willis and Hailey Wallis with an average of over two kills per set, while leading the team in blocking, service attempts and aces.

Last weekend, Kracht put together a series of three impressive digs during a highlight-reel point against Wapsie Valley, and she served her team back into the match against West Delaware as the Spartans captured a tournament title in Parkersburg.

A junior on a battle-tested team with four seniors in its main rotation, Kracht is part of a team that welcomes competition. The Spartans have remained perfect despite dropping a set in four matches.

“There’s definitely been a big difference in how others are playing us,” Kracht said, addressing the target that accompanies a No. 1 ranking. “We see the competition has gone up and we love that because it’s just getting us more prepared for the future and helping us get better.”

The junior is receiving interest at multiple positions from college volleyball programs and is driven to help secure the school’s first state title.

“We don’t have it ingrained in our minds that we’re ranked number one and we don’t have to work for anything,” Kracht said. “We have to earn it and we have a long ways to go.”

CEDAR FALLS — Through an introduction to volleyball that consisted of bruises and some tough love from her older sister Kaz, Akacia Brown has both followed in the footsteps of one of Cedar Falls’ all-time greats and charted her own path on the court.

Before Kaz Brown became an all-SEC middle hitter at national power Kentucky, she was peppering shots at Akacia, seven years younger.

“I was a little kid and it made me better because she was already hitting way hard at me, so I was getting used to a higher level,” recalls Akacia, whose older brothers Kalund and Kalehl were also standout basketball players. “I’d remember sometimes we’d go outside and I’d start crying because it (the volleyball) would hit me and it would just hurt a lot.”

Frequently receiving valuable advice from Kaz prior to matches, Akacia has grown into a dynamic outside hitter capable of inflicting pain on her opponents. She worked her way into the lineup as a sophomore and was utilized as a front row weapon on last year’s star-studded Cedar Falls team that won the school’s first Class 5A state championship.

Following the graduation of a seven-player senior class that included four NCAA Division I volleyball players and a DI basketball player, Brown is a junior leading the next wave of hungry Tigers. They’ve already demonstrated there isn’t going to be a significant dropoff in talent.

“We weren’t intimidated by anything,” said Brown, who is averaging a team-high 4.33 kills per set to go with set averages of 2.93 digs, 0.53 blocks and 0.4 aces as a full rotation weapon. “The sixth match of the day, playing the number one team in the state, we were all pretty tired, but we didn’t let that stop us and we didn’t let anything get in the way. We just kept going.”

That drive to be the best is a quality Cedar Falls coach Matt Johnson says Brown has exuded from day one. The eventual go-to hitter and leader of this year’s Tigers was a late bloomer on the volleyball court.

“Going into seventh grade when I came here, you would not have looked at that girl and said, ‘That’s a future volleyball player,’” Johnson recalled. “She had the right mentality, she had the right attitude, but she was not very skilled. Where she’s gone from there to now is a tribute to how hard she works.”

Brown, who started out playing the middle hitter position in which her older sister excelled, decided to mold herself into a strong passer who never had to leave the court. She grew to 6-feet tall and increased her vertical and strength after investing time in training programs such as XL Sports Acceleration in Cedar Falls.

“The reason I wanted to play outside and play all the way around was because when I played middle a big thing for me is getting excited,” said Brown, who also competes on the Iowa Rockets club team. “When I’d come out, I’d feel like my team wouldn’t get as excited. I wanted to make sure I could be in the whole time, keeping my team cheered up.”

“She’s a fun kid to be around,” Johnson noted. “She’s just got a bizarre, goofy personality, and at the same time she can flip a switch. When it’s time to go, she’s ready to go.

“It’s odd to see that mix of making sure everybody is having fun to just ultra competitive, but she can find that balance and manage it pretty well.”

During the van ride home after last year’s state championship sweep over West Des Moines Valley, Brown was the first girl in the vehicle to talk about repeating.

“It was fun to hear her say that because some of the other sophomores and juniors are maybe sitting there going, ‘Wow, we’re losing our whole team, what’s it going to be like?’” Johnson said. “For her to step out and say our goal is to compete and we expect to keep competing at the state level is cool.”

Johnson has noticed Brown will often elevate her play against tougher competition. She completed extra practice reps to handle a heavier workload this season.

“She’s got a pretty good understanding of what to do with the ball and when,” Johnson said. “She’s not just a pretty ball hitter. When we’re out of system and need a big swing from an awkward angle, she’s a person willing to step up and take that swing.”

The girl who first embraced the challenges her sister provided has already drawn interest from multiple NCAA Division I programs. She still wants to be tested.

“For me, I think my biggest thing is I want to be in a good conference,” Brown said. “You can only become better and be one of the best players by playing against other best players.”

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DUNKERTON — As the game got longer, Dunkerton boys’ basketball co-head coach Todd Kuntz began to notice a trend.

The Raiders, currently ranked sixth in Class 1A, like to play fast. Dunkerton will press the entire 84 feet of the Raiders’ home court.

The player at the point of that attack, 6-foot-2 senior guard Brady Happel, can be nuisance for Dunkerton’s opponents, and Happel was doing his thing last Friday in a 64-32 win at Riceville.

At some point early in the game, Kuntz turned to his fellow coaches and noted that Happel had deflected, re-directed or stolen a lot of Wildcat passes.

Happel, a second-team all-state selection last year, finished with 13 steals in the game despite playing only 24 minutes.

“We didn’t realize how many he had until after the game,” Kuntz said. “We press full-court as a team, and he is at the front of the press. He plays so hard and is so athletic ... he gets his hands on everything.”

The 13 steals are not only a Raider record, but a single-game best this season in Iowa and ties for the 11th best single-game mark in state history.

“It is a lot of fun,” Happel says of the full-court defense the Raiders implement. “You can see other teams get really frustrated. We can score a lot of points really fast. We try to turn defense into easy offense and when we do, we get a lot of lay-ups.”

A season ago while averaging 14.9 points a game, Happel led Dunkerton in rebounds (144) and assists (143), while also averaging 2.6 steals per game.

“He has taken his game to another level this year,” Kuntz said. “Brady just kind of impacts the game at all levels and is really being a great leader for us. A perfect example for us of leading by example.

“Brady never stops moving. So many opposing coaches compliment him on his effort, intensity and leadership. There are very few things he doesn’t do well on the court and obviously that has an effect on our team.”

Happel spent most of the summer with backcourt mate Zach Johnson working on their games and building chemistry with a team that had to replace three starters off a 22-3 squad that lost by two to Edgewood-Colesburg in the 1A substate finals.

That loss is driving the Raiders, and the off-season work is paying off with Dunkerton’s hot start, which includes a season-opening 75-66 win over Don Bosco of Gilbertville, a team that took third in 1A last March.

“That obviously was a tough loss and just made us want to work even harder to achieve that goal this year,” Happel said. “Zach and I tried to get as many people to the gym over the summer because we had to replace a lot that we lost from last season.”

In addition to building chemistry with a cast of new varsity contributors, Happel was driven to the gym over the summer to improve his own game. In particular, Happel was not happy with how he shot the basketball a season ago.

Happel excelled at everything during the 2017-18 season but 3-point shooting, hitting just 29 percent (42 of 149).

“He always can get to the rim,” Kuntz added. “He is a good 3-point shooter, but he seemed to go cold at times. He spent a lot of time in the gym working on his jump shot. Through three games, and it is a small sample size, but he is 8 of 16 3-point shooting, and he is shooting 53 percent from the field.”

While that was an important part to improving his game, Happel, who also runs cross country and competed in four events at state track in May, says he and his teammates have to continue to get better defensively and cleaning up defensive rebounds.

With Happel and fellow starter Riley Tissue, also 6-2, the Raiders do their intimidating not with size, but all out defensive effort.

“Rebounding is definitely a key,” Happel said. “We are very undersized. We’ve got to win games on the defensive end, get big stops down the stretch and close out games in the fourth quarter.”

Had Don Bosco’s head wrestling coach seen junior Thomas Even make that facial expression or hobble ever so slightly on his banged up right ankle, a towel was at the ready to be tossed onto the mat.

Fortunately for Hogan and Even, neither of those things happened last Saturday at the Keith Young Invitational.

Needing just 3 minutes, 19 seconds, Even scored three pins, including two over Top 10 3A opponents en route to the 182-pound title that helped the Dons capture the 16-team tournament.

“I don’t remember him telling me that, but we did talk about wrestling just one match and then defaulting,” said Even, the third-ranked wrestler in 1A at 182.

After opening with a 1:22 pin of Brennen Graber of Denver, Even decked eighth-ranked Alex Blizzard of Bettendorf in 1:12 in the semifinals and then flattened fourth-ranked Cael Knox of Cedar Rapids Kennedy in just 45 seconds in the championship match.

“I just wanted to come out and pin everybody as fast as I could, and I worked hard at it,” said Even, who continues to go to rehab once a week while also doing daily exercises at home to strengthen the ankle. “I’m still babying that ankle a bit, but I felt 100 percent out there.

“My mindset every time I step onto the mat is I can beat anybody across from me, and I’m not going to let anything affect me out there.”

Hogan said he and the coaching staff will continue to watch Even’s body language with that ankle, an injury that occurred last year in football and kept him out the first part of Don Bosco’s wrestling season as a sophomore.

While producing an all-state football season as a running back for the Dons’ eight-man team this season, Even re-injured the ankle in Don Bosco’s first playoff game, causing him to miss his team’s quarterfinal loss.

But with steady rehab and rest, Even has opened the wrestling season 7-0, including the Keith Young victory.

“We talked about we didn’t want to see one wince,” Hogan laughed. “But he never gave us a chance to see anything like that because of the three first-period pins.

“But, honestly, we want to get him through the season unscathed. We want him for the long haul, so if there is a spot or time to rest him we will. That was not his mindset last year when he’d say, ‘It’s fine, it’s fine.’ I think he understands that better this year.”

If the Dons can keep Even healthy, they know he will be a critical component to bigger team goals. Hogan describes Even as compact and muscular and there is not much he isn’t capable of doing on the mat.

“He is a dangerous wrestler in a lot of different positions,” Hogan said. “He has a great double leg, he’s always had it, but we’ve had to coax it out of him a little bit to use more.”

Getting that ankle back to 100 percent is also important for Even’s bigger picture.

Fifth a season ago at 170 pounds in the 1A state championships, Even is ranked behind defending 170-pound champion Gabe Pauley of AHSTW and Tucker Kroeze of Belmond-Klemme, who was third at 182.

“I do see the bigger picture better,” Even said.

Even is also excited for his team, which he believes can use the Keith Young championship as a sign of what it can accomplish in February, when the Dons will be one of the favorites at the state traditional tournament where they are seeking their 11th overall title, but first since 2012.

“What, it has been 10 years since we won the Keith Young,” Even said. “It was a big accomplishment. That win shows what we can do”

GILBERTVILLE — Fearless, strong, disciplined and driven. Thomas Even can trace a lot of the attributes that make him a successful athlete back to his summer job.

“I cut down trees for my dad (Ron), which helps a lot with the strength and conditioning,” said Even, who spends his summers working for Even Family Tree Service. “When you’re 60 foot up in the air holding branches with one arm and a chainsaw in the other, it’s pretty rigorous.”

Growing up within a family of wrestlers that includes his older brother, Austin, who won an individual state championship, Thomas says he was initially drawn to the mat before gaining a passion for football later in grade school.

It hasn’t taken Even long to find dual-sport success.

As a freshman defensive lineman, he finished with 37 tackles and eight sacks on the Dons’ 2016 title team. Last fall, he was an all-state linebacker with a team-high 65 tackles for an undefeated championship team. Even also capped his sophomore wrestling campaign as a contributor on teams that won the State Duals title and finished runner-up in the traditional meet.

Crediting the example set by family, Even says he learned to value hard work and effort from a young age. It’s no surprise one of his favorite hobbies is lifting weights.

“I love getting in the weight room, trying to better myself, because I believe you can’t expect everything to get handed to you,” Even said. “You have to work hard and lift weights to get better. If you lift a lot of weights and you do it right, you can excel on the football field.”

In addition to leading 8-player’s No. 3-ranked Don Bosco into the playoffs with 73 tackles, including seven for loss, Even has become the Dons’ featured running back. He’s expanded upon last year’s introduction in which he averaged 14.6 yards and scored 12 touchdowns on 41 carries, by rushing for 1,327 yards (10.7 per carry) with 29 TDs.

During last week’s win over Riceville, Even needed just eight carries to amass 211 yards and three scores on the shortened 80-yard field.

“He’s one of those guys, when he touches the ball, he can make a lot of things happen,” Don Bosco coach Colby Yoder said. “He adds another dimension. People are going to struggle to tackle him with one guy. He’s kind of like a human pinball and it’s fun to watch.”

The junior within an 8-play dynasty has patiently waited for this opportunity, sticking to the healthy diet and conditioning learned from a wrestler’s lifestyle. That training has helped him handle the workload that accompanies the role of an being an impact, two-way player.

“Off the field there’s not many kids working as hard as he is,” Yoder said. “He’s got a lot of personal pride. That’s what I really like about him. He’s real confident in himself, and he’s played on two state championship teams. He understands what it takes to get to that level and he’s showing that he can play at that level.”

Similar to his freshman season, Even has seen the Dons try to regroup from a surprising setback in their homecoming game. Two years ago, they lost to Central Elkader before avenging that defeat in the playoffs en route to a championship. This fall, it was a surprising 18-0 shutout loss to Northwood-Kensett that served as a catalyst for Even and a few other upperclassmen to encourage the youthful Dons to refocus.

“We just had to take a step back. We had a players’ meeting with no coaches in the locker room. All of us players just talked it out, what we needed to do to get better, the type of mindset we needed to have. I believe we’ve been clicking on all cylinders since. We’re where we need to be for the playoffs.”

Added Yoder, “The loss, it’s something that maybe needed to happen. It got us a little more focused.”

The junior with a perfect record through two postseason football runs is ready to strap up his helmet for another journey beginning at 7 p.m. Friday when Central City (8-1) comes to Gilbertville.

“It’s the best time of the year,” Even said. “I’m pretty amped up about it, starting to get those postseason jitters. Playing good football teams, there’s nothing better than that rush when you step on the field.”

With plenty of high school football games and wrestling matches still ahead of him, Even says he’s begun to evaluate his college options in each sport. He has embraced his leadership role within a pair of teams accustomed to success.

“It’s been amazing,” Even said. “This school has so much tradition in wrestling and football. I’ve always seen myself as a leader, just because of the way I was raised. To have an impact on a great program like this is truly a blessing.”

WATERLOO — Kate Shannon couldn’t have anticipated a position change when she entered her fourth season as a starting libero on Waterloo Columbus’ volleyball team.

Yet a couple weeks into the season, one of the state’s top defenders found herself attempting to serve as a catalyst for her team’s offense.

“She definitely came in and interjected her intensity and focus into our offense,” said Sailors head coach Hanna Nuss, who moved Shannon to setter for a few matches. “I think she gave them a breath of life and we saw our team turn around and get more consistent. We’ve gone back to Emily Surma setting and Kate back where she belongs (at libero) but it gave everybody a dose of reality and gave Kate a chance to take over the team.”

For Shannon who hadn’t set since middle school, it was a unique challenge. She quickly received plenty of game reps as Columbus played three consecutive five-set matches with her as the quarterback of the offense, including marathon victories over Denver and Jesup.

“It was something new, that’s for sure,” Shannon said. “I had to do whatever it took to hopefully make the team better and change up a few things. I think it pushed our setters in practice to get that spot back and see if we can kind of push to be a better team. ... Being in the front row trying to run offense is pretty intense.”

A foundation for stability as a reliable passer and defender, Shannon has made an impact over her four-year prep career in the back row. The Iowa State volleyball recruit has recorded 1,495 career digs and 229 aces through a stretch of three state tournament runs.

Nuss points out Shannon’s natural instincts and athletic ability often trump form as she’s able to anticipate where an attacker is going. Her digs helped wear down Carroll Kuemper’s towering attackers during a five-set rally en route to last season’s state championship.

“A lot of times she can make up space with just pure athleticism and knowledge,” Nuss said. “It amazes me her ability to read and see the game. Even as a freshman she’s always had that natural reaction, and you can’t teach that.

“She just brings a lot of calmness to a team. It’s rare to see Kate Shannon look overwhelmed or nervous about any game.”

The youngest of three girls, Kate says she learned plenty from her older sisters, Emma and Sydney, who were multi-sport athletes at Columbus. Kate and Sydney were volleyball teammates for two seasons.

“Honestly, at home we’d get into it with each other, but they taught me that you need to work hard all the time and you also have to play as a team with everyone,” Kate recalls. “They taught me to play with fire and intensity.”

Shannon also carries that intensity onto the softball diamond where she has been a part of multiple state tournament teams as a starter since her eighth-grade year. Softball coach Chris Olmstead is another one of her role models.

“Sometimes playing volleyball I will try to remember his little pep talks,” Shannon said. “Also the girls I play with are outstanding. They’re always trying to get better so it’s really helped me try to do the same thing in volleyball.”

Shannon credits the experience she had with her Six Pack club team, winning tournaments and traveling throughout the nation, as part of her motivation to pursue volleyball beyond high school. Nuss is pleased with how Shannon was able to step out of her comfort zone, play a new position for a couple matches this season and remain a valuable leader throughout.

“The best part is seeing players grow and grow into positions that they’re going to take on later in life,” Nuss said. “Watching Kate grow from a freshman and being timid and seeing her take over and lead this team, as we’ve gone on through this year, she’s grown more and more in practice every day just taking the lead and finding her voice.”

While Shannon has never been part of a Columbus team that has lost a regional match, this year’s bracket may be the most challenging she’s faced.

The Sailors (23-16) open postseason play tonight at La Porte City trying to avenge a previous five-set loss to Union. If they win, they’ll likely face a Center Point-Urbana team that swept them in an early season tournament.

Still, Columbus has reached the last three state tournaments with 15, 13 and eight losses entering the postseason.

“We’re going to have to play for each other and be confident in each other and play to the best of our ability,” Shannon said. “We’re going to have to work as hard as we can, not let anything drop and try to stay positive.”

Beyond high school, Shannon is eager to continue to challenge herself. She says she’d like to fight for a spot in Iowa State’s rotation as a freshman.

“It’s going to be tough, but I’m just going to try to work my best and hopefully I’ll earn that spot,” Shannon said. “I’m going to try to do anything I can to help the team be better.”

CEDAR FALLS — Jack Campbell isn’t one to seek the spotlight, yet he hasn’t been able to dodge it in recent years.

The all-state linebacker from Cedar Falls worked his way into becoming a three-star college football prospect and one of the most sought-after recruits within the state’s 2019 class. A genuine and polite individual who was named Homecoming king this fall, Campbell was the subject of countless recruiting pitches last year after narrowing down his college search to Minnesota, Iowa State and Iowa.

Coaches from Iowa State and Iowa were frequent faces in the crowds at basketball games, while classmates also made the case for their favorite school.

“I’d go sit in class and some kids I wouldn’t even know would be harping on me to go to one school or another,” Campbell recalls. “I thought it was kind of funny. I’m kind of a quiet kid, so I just laughed.”

Whether playing with younger brothers Kyle and Drew in the back yard or inside a football stadium or basketball gymnasium, competition flips a switch inside Campbell. Cedar Falls football coach Brad Remmert and basketball coach Ryan Schultz each describe him as one of the greatest competitors they’ve instructed.

“He competes every down out there and makes our other kids better,” Remmert said, noting Campbell has caused his first-team offense problems since junior year during one vs. one reps. “If you don’t have it strapped up, he’s going to come in and hit you real hard so you’d better be ready to go. He elevates everybody’s play around him. He’s just a heck of a kid. One of the great players that have come through our program.”

That’s certainly high praise within a perennial playoff program that often ranks among Class 4A’s elite.

Campbell, however, is quick to point out success hasn’t come naturally. Dedication, passion and support from parents, stepparents, coaches and teammates has all been part of the growth process for a kid who once worried about trying to find his way off the junior high B team.

The son of former University of Northern Iowa offensive guard Dave Campbell learned from a young age the value of hard work.

“I’d really get down on myself and my dad would always be there for me and tell me that you’ve got to work for what you want to get,” said Campbell, who committed to the University of Iowa last spring. “I didn’t really ever think about playing college football until ninth grade year.

“I worked my butt off my whole high school career in the weight room and in the back yard with my dad helping. He’d get a little blocking pad out and he’d always work on hand drills. He’d push me, but at the end of the day it was my choice on how good I wanted to be.”

Drawn to the physical aspect of a sport in which Campbell points out you have to get yourself up after being knocked down, defense became his focus after Peet Junior High coach Steve Chidester pulled him aside in eighth grade and suggested giving linebacker a try.

“I fell in love with the position,” Campbell said. “It’s so fun to try and get inside the offense’s head and figure out what plays they’re going to run. ... The linebacker position is like the quarterback of the defense and I thought that was really cool.”

Campbell grew a few inches and added 20 pounds of muscle onto the 6-foot, 160-pound frame he had entering ninth grade. He earned a starting spot at outside linebacker as a sophomore before conducting one of the state’s top defenses from the middle linebacker position over the past two seasons.

As a junior, Campbell recorded a team-high 92 tackles — 11 for loss — while the 9-2 Tigers held eight opponents to seven points or less. He’s continued to cause havoc with his athleticism shining Friday as Class 4A’s No. 2 Cedar Falls (7-0) recorded its fourth shutout of the season against Waterloo West. Campbell went over the top of a blocker to bat down one pass and reached around a blocker on a separate play to pull the quarterback down with one hand.

“He just has this unique ability to read a play and react to it very quickly,” Remmert said. “He doesn’t have a lot of missteps in his reads and then he gets there in a hurry. He’s a very explosive kid who finds a way to the windows and gets the run-throughs. He’s always around the football.”

In addition to his football success, Campbell played center on a basketball team that won the school’s first state title last winter. Logan Wolf, Jackson Frericks and Sam Gary are among the teammates who also bring a championship culture into football.

They’d love nothing more than to compete for another title this fall on the UNI-Dome turf in their hometown.

“Just the mentality of always outworking the other team, we did that a lot in basketball,” Campbell said. “Even if we had a good practice, it could have been better or a school across the state could have had a better practice than us that night.

“We’ve been through everything together. When I look to my right and my left before we go out on the field, I have complete trust in those guys. They’re all competitors, very good athletes. They know what it’s like to go through a hard practice. I always know they’ll do their thing and they know I’ll do my thing.”

Driven to excel, Remmert has little doubt Campbell will succeed at the next level.

“Knowing the staff at Iowa and their strength coach (Chris) Doyle and how they develop people, it will be interesting to see the path he takes,” Remmert said. “I think he’s athletic enough that he can play standing up. He’s also got the framework that if they chose a different path, he can put his hand down as a d-end and play. All signs point to him having a great career at the University of Iowa.”

JANESVILLE — There are students of the game, and then there’s Bree Thompson.

Janesville’s 5-foot-11 senior studies film after each volleyball match, routinely filling a notebook page with areas for growth. Content is one word that’s not in her vocabulary.

“I’m very hard on myself as a player, which is good and bad,” Thompson said. “When I watch film, there’s always something I can be doing better.

“I write down stuff that I need to work on and I focus on those things during practice. The game is a game of mistakes, but technically how we do things can be changed.”

Thompson certainly has done plenty right throughout her high school career. The powerful outside hitter has been named a Class 1A first-team all-state selection each of the past three seasons with those campaigns culminating in state championships.

Last fall, Thompson earned Class 1A Player of the Year accolades and was named captain of the all-tournament team. Her 1,612 career kills rank among the top 15 on Iowa’s all-time chart since QuikStats reporting began in 2007, and Thompson is on pace to finish among the top five.

“She’s very strong and was a big hitter for us her freshman year, and has just grown and developed into a very consistent player,” Janesville coach Shelly Sorensen said of her program kills leader. “Our setters are able to find her in crucial moments in a game. She’s a big go-to person for us. She’ll hit out of the front row or the back row.”

The competitive mentality it takes to find success in athletics has been ingrained within Thompson from a young age. Her aunts on her dad’s side, Katie and Kara, played collegiate volleyball, while her mom, Tracy, was a strong high school softball player.

Bree’s dad, Tolly Thompson, grew up in Janesville and went on to win a wrestling national title at the University of Nebraska. He competed internationally, placing third at the 2005 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and has coached at the collegiate level for more than a decade.

Bree is the middle child of three girls, with her older sister Payton playing alongside her on the Wildcats’ 2015 title team. Her younger sister, Kendall, is an active junior high volleyball player.

“It impacted me a lot,” Bree said of her family’s athletics background. “I always strive to be the best, and then I looked at the things that they have done. My dad has accomplished a lot, my grandpa (Leonard Thompson) wrestled at Iowa State.

“They’re my biggest motivators. They break me down when I need it, and they push me back up most the time.”

Mental toughness is a trait Thompson says she’s taken from her family members’ wrestling background and applied to volleyball.

“It’s all a mindset,” Thompson said. “I tell that to my sister and other players on the team. You are the biggest person that breaks you down. You have to have the right mindset to be able to overcome those challenges.”

In addition to growing up in a volleyball community, Thompson has developed through club competition since age 10. She’s played in national indoor tournaments with the CIA Juniors, and last summer traveled to California to compete in a national 2-on-2 beach volleyball tournament.

“Sand is a very smart game,” Thompson said. “You have to use shots rather than swinging full all the time. I learned a lot of new shots. I think my sand game has impacted my indoor game. It makes you jump higher. It makes you quicker.”

Thompson is one of three seniors on Janesville’s team who have started since their freshman year. Two additional seniors are among the starters in this year’s rotation.

This Janesville senior class learned to win at a young age. Thompson can recall in eighth grade how they’d often dig early holes and battle back.

Not much has changed.

This fall, 1A’s top-ranked Janesville (31-3) has not only continued its dominance against small schools, but owns wins against large school giants like Class 4A No. 3 Independence and 5A No. 7 West Des Moines Dowling. Janesville captured its third weekend tournament title Saturday in Charles City.

“We know when we have to pick it up and what we have to do,” Thompson said. “We trust each other. That trust we have from experience has helped us come out on top those games where we were down and came back.”

Thompson has received interest from multiple NCAA Division I programs with a couple visits remaining on her schedule. She hopes to commit soon, and would become the fourth Janesville volleyball player within the past five years to secure a DI scholarship.

The senior says collegiate coaches often chuckle when they find out there’s only 25 students in her class. Janesville has become small town filled with volleyball players accomplishing big things.

“It’s just what you do and how you go about it, how big you set your goals,” Thompson said. “We all have that mindset that we want to do this and we know how to get there by working hard.”

The Mustang offense’s dual-threat leader put his talent on display Friday night, as he passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 150 and two scores on 30 carries during a 31-14 rare rivalry win over West Delaware. Independence (4-1) has already matched last season’s win total, when Schmitt and company began to chart a new direction.

The quarterback’s versatility and growth shined Friday, bouncing back from a loss to Center Point-Urbana with a win over a West Delaware squad that had defeated the Mustangs by 37 points last fall.

Reflecting on a signature win, Schmitt credited his offensive line and how well the team responded to adversity over the final two quarters. The Mustangs surrendered the lead toward the end of the second quarter, and a penalty stalled the offense’s final scoring opportunity prior to halftime.

“In the locker room everyone was like, ‘Guys, we’ve got to respond, how are we going to do it?’” Schmitt related. “We came out and we responded. We just took over the second half. Those were the things that impressed me.”

Not much seems to rattle Independence’s youthful quarterback, and it’s been that way from day one.

Independence coach Justin Putz had no hesitation in handing the reigns over to Schmitt as a sophomore after the Mustangs went winless in 2016. As an assistant baseball coach, Putz had already seen the talented athlete reveal a high level of composure and intelligence on the diamond.

“I knew he was a good football player, but I really learned how tough he was, how smart he was,” Putz said. “As you’re looking at a quarterback coming up, having that mental toughness in somebody I thought was going to play for us as a sophomore was really key.

“One play doesn’t carry over to another. He was the starting shortstop, arguably our ace pitcher as a freshman at the varsity level. To play those positions where you are in the most high-stress positions at that young age, and be able to handle all that and take everything in stride, that just shows you right there the mental makeup that he has.”

Schmitt reflects back on his freshman baseball season as one in which he found good role-models in the upperclassmen and matured. Competing against older athletes for the first time taught valuable lessons in responding to failure.

“When you start playing up against older guys, it’s just not all on talent,” Schmitt said. “The little things count. You’ve got to do everything right. You can’t just overpower kids.”

While Schmitt admits the idea of taking over the quarterback position as a sophomore for a team coming off a winless season was a little intimidating, he says he had faith that he was surrounded by a group of teammates capable of accomplishing something special.

Schmitt threw just six interceptions versus 17 touchdowns, passing for 1,361 yards and rushing for another 710 during a turnaround 4-6 campaign a year ago when five playoff teams were on the schedule.

“He was a difference-maker and he just got better and better, game to game, series to series,” Putz recalled. “He really doesn’t make the same mistake twice.”

This season, Putz has put a lot of decision making in Schmitt’s hands — giving his quarterback as much freedom with play calling, reads and audibles as any he’s ever coached. The junior has invested the time to find success.

“There’s a certain way to watch film,” Schmitt said, reflecting on the lessons he learned from last season. “You can just watch film casually or you can actually study it and get something out of it. It also goes with the game plan and practice. ... If you focus on what you’re supposed to do and make your reads during practice and game plan correctly and watch film, then you’re going to be a lot more successful.”

Schmitt is also a valuable addition to the defense. He’s playing safety for the first time this season at the varsity level.

“Defensively, the whole group is a lot of fun,” Schmitt said. “It’s really fun when you’re flying around hitting people and making the right reads and executing, holding opponents to minimal yards.”

With juniors filling the majority of the starting roles on this team, there’s little doubt Independence’s future is bright. The Mustangs may have the pieces to accelerate that timeline to the present.

“To see it turn around this fast has been awesome,” Schmitt said. “The junior and senior class, especially, has directly impacted the culture and tradition. It’s great to see that all these guys have bought in and listened to what the coaches have said.”

HUDSON — Most high school running backs dream of capping a season in the fashion in which Christian Seres concluded his junior campaign.

Hudson’s backfield workhorse ran for 210 yards and three scores in his UNI-Dome state semifinal debut last fall, before scoring one of his team’s two touchdowns in the championship game loss to West Sioux.

Seres, however, never grew up envisioning himself as the player carrying the ball into the end zone. Following in the footsteps of his older brother Matt — a two-time, all-state linemen who is currently a freshman on Iowa State’s football roster — Christian embraced the role of a blocker.

Hudson head coach Justin Brekke had different plans for the kid who had only played on the offensive and defensive line prior to high school. Seres entered his freshman season about 145 pounds, but was one of the stronger and more aggressive kids in his class.

“Our first summer meeting I remember telling him, ‘You’re going to be a running back,’” Brekke recalled. “He just lit up and said, ‘Really?’ The rest has been history.”

Through a rough freshman season of junior varsity football, Hudson’s coaching staff maintained faith Seres would eventually catch on to his new position.

“My freshman year I had no clue what I was doing,” Seres admits. “It was a lot different carrying the ball instead of blocking.

“I fumbled it over 25 times. I was always thinking, ‘Wow, I’m never going to get better at this position.’”

Following the example set by his older brother, who could squat over 600 pounds, Christian Seres went to work in the weight room, put on muscle, bought some new gloves with better grip and took hold of his new position.

As a sophomore, Seres led an 8-3 Hudson team with 103 carries, averaging 4.6 yards. He then opened his junior season in a timeshare with senior Cameron Fulcher. When Fulcher was injured after Week 4, Seres took over as the feature back and finished the year with 1,947 yards and 29 touchdowns during the Pirates’ run to the state finals.

“He was the guy that we had always expected him to be,” Brekke recalls. “He’s been absolutely somebody that we can depend on. He’s steady. You know what you’re going to get from him.”

Seres, who also typically covers the other team’s top receiver, has managed to still make an impact on the outcome of the only two games in which he hasn’t reached the end zone these past two seasons. The first on the list was a 5-0 win over Gladbrook-Reinbeck last season that snapped the Rebels’ 29-game win streak. Hudson’s running back tallied 49 carries that game through heavy rain on the field that became a mud pit.

“We were really glad that it was a mud bowl,” Seres said, reflecting on a game that was as fun as any in which he’s competed. “Slipping and sliding all over, we knew that was good for us. It just flew by so fast. Every carry was just put your head down and run as hard as you can.”

After Hudson graduated its entire offensive line, tight end corps and fullback from a year ago, Seres continues to make an impact during his senior campaign for a 4-0 team that has climbed to a No. 1 ranking in Class A.

His second start without a touchdown came during Friday’s 24-21 overtime win against then No. 5 North Tama. Seres was held to 30 yards in the first half before a pancake block by lineman Caleb Koelling set the tone for a second half in which the back rushed for 116 yards.

When a holding call moved Hudson back to the 21-yard line in overtime against the Redhawks, Seres got to the edge on an outside zone run and fought for a 17-yard gain as he refused to go down until he reached the 3-yard line. That play set up Austin Appleton’s game-winning field goal.

The former lineman continues to credit his success to the blockers up front.

“Last year I was kind of looking up to the linemen,” said Seres, who has 3,073 career rushing yards and 43 touchdowns. “This year, they’re looking up to me, but it’s really them who do all the work. I just run behind them. Props to them. They’re the ones doing everything.”

Knowledge of the line has helped Seres set up blocks and patiently pick apart defenses.

“You know just where the hole will be, or will end up being, and you kind of hesitate, wait a second for that hole to pop, and you explode right through it,” Seres said.

Also a member of Hudson’s state-qualifying soccer team, Seres is planning to play football at the collegiate level. He’s one part of a Hudson team determined to replicate last season’s success.

“We just need to get better every week,” Seres said. “We’re ranked number one right now and we need to keep it that way. We need to play with confidence.”

GRUNDY CENTER — It takes a lot to catch Emerson Kracht off guard on the volleyball court these days.

The 5-foot-11 junior setter and outside hitter has helped Class 2A’s top-ranked Grundy Center open the season 14-0 by making an imprint through nearly every skill the sport has to offer. She’s recorded long service runs, timely blocks, clutch digs and big kills, while also feeding teammates with steady set assists.

“I love being able to do different things on the court,” Kracht said. “If I’m struggling at one area, I always make sure that the other areas, I can pick those parts up. ... It helps me kind of calm down.”

Kracht’s versatile skill set is the result of a surprising challenge she received at the start of her freshman season. Spartans coach Lori Willis saw an opportunity for Kracht to earn immediate varsity court time as a right side hitter, while also spending the year training with the junior varsity team to become a setter.

The girl who played in the school’s youth volleyball program from fourth grade and competed against national competition with the CIA club team beginning in junior high entered high school with no setting experience. Willis, however, noticed good hands, beautiful footwork and the potential for Kracht to be the second setter in a 6-2 rotation that would accentuate the talent and height within her program.

“She thought I was crazy,” Willis recalls. “She didn’t see the same vision us as coaches saw for her.

“What she quickly realized is that she was capable of learning a new position and bringing so much value to the team. She completely bought in. She put in extra time with me working on setting. She really listens and wants to be the best that she can.”

Once she got over the initial shock, Kracht was intrigued by the new challenge.

“I was definitely interested in it because I knew it would be an opportunity for me to play,” Kracht said. “It (setting) has been a little more of an opportunity to grow than hitting just because I haven’t done it as long. This past year I’ve been more confident in my setting skills, but when I first started it was a little rough.”

Support from senior setter Sydney Mathews has enhanced Kracht’s development.

“We really help each other out when it comes to setting,” Kracht said. “We talk to each other about what we need to improve on, what we’re doing good. We have a really good relationship so that we can learn more from each other.”

The setter’s viewpoint has also helped Kracht become a more knowledgeable outside hitter.

“Everyone knows that the setter is kind of the quarterback of the volleyball team,” Willis said. “They have to make a lot of decisions based on where the pass is, who the hitters are, what their weaknesses are, and also counteract what is on the other side of the net. She has such respect for all the positions because she’s played so many positions.”

After setting and playing right side as a sophomore on Grundy Center’s state semifinal team last season, Kracht is among the team leaders in a variety of statistical categories as a setter and outside hitter this year. She joins seniors Kylie Willis and Hailey Wallis with an average of over two kills per set, while leading the team in blocking, service attempts and aces.

Last weekend, Kracht put together a series of three impressive digs during a highlight-reel point against Wapsie Valley, and she served her team back into the match against West Delaware as the Spartans captured a tournament title in Parkersburg.

A junior on a battle-tested team with four seniors in its main rotation, Kracht is part of a team that welcomes competition. The Spartans have remained perfect despite dropping a set in four matches.

“There’s definitely been a big difference in how others are playing us,” Kracht said, addressing the target that accompanies a No. 1 ranking. “We see the competition has gone up and we love that because it’s just getting us more prepared for the future and helping us get better.”

The junior is receiving interest at multiple positions from college volleyball programs and is driven to help secure the school’s first state title.

“We don’t have it ingrained in our minds that we’re ranked number one and we don’t have to work for anything,” Kracht said. “We have to earn it and we have a long ways to go.”

CEDAR FALLS — Through an introduction to volleyball that consisted of bruises and some tough love from her older sister Kaz, Akacia Brown has both followed in the footsteps of one of Cedar Falls’ all-time greats and charted her own path on the court.

Before Kaz Brown became an all-SEC middle hitter at national power Kentucky, she was peppering shots at Akacia, seven years younger.

“I was a little kid and it made me better because she was already hitting way hard at me, so I was getting used to a higher level,” recalls Akacia, whose older brothers Kalund and Kalehl were also standout basketball players. “I’d remember sometimes we’d go outside and I’d start crying because it (the volleyball) would hit me and it would just hurt a lot.”

Frequently receiving valuable advice from Kaz prior to matches, Akacia has grown into a dynamic outside hitter capable of inflicting pain on her opponents. She worked her way into the lineup as a sophomore and was utilized as a front row weapon on last year’s star-studded Cedar Falls team that won the school’s first Class 5A state championship.

Following the graduation of a seven-player senior class that included four NCAA Division I volleyball players and a DI basketball player, Brown is a junior leading the next wave of hungry Tigers. They’ve already demonstrated there isn’t going to be a significant dropoff in talent.

“We weren’t intimidated by anything,” said Brown, who is averaging a team-high 4.33 kills per set to go with set averages of 2.93 digs, 0.53 blocks and 0.4 aces as a full rotation weapon. “The sixth match of the day, playing the number one team in the state, we were all pretty tired, but we didn’t let that stop us and we didn’t let anything get in the way. We just kept going.”

That drive to be the best is a quality Cedar Falls coach Matt Johnson says Brown has exuded from day one. The eventual go-to hitter and leader of this year’s Tigers was a late bloomer on the volleyball court.

“Going into seventh grade when I came here, you would not have looked at that girl and said, ‘That’s a future volleyball player,’” Johnson recalled. “She had the right mentality, she had the right attitude, but she was not very skilled. Where she’s gone from there to now is a tribute to how hard she works.”

Brown, who started out playing the middle hitter position in which her older sister excelled, decided to mold herself into a strong passer who never had to leave the court. She grew to 6-feet tall and increased her vertical and strength after investing time in training programs such as XL Sports Acceleration in Cedar Falls.

“The reason I wanted to play outside and play all the way around was because when I played middle a big thing for me is getting excited,” said Brown, who also competes on the Iowa Rockets club team. “When I’d come out, I’d feel like my team wouldn’t get as excited. I wanted to make sure I could be in the whole time, keeping my team cheered up.”

“She’s a fun kid to be around,” Johnson noted. “She’s just got a bizarre, goofy personality, and at the same time she can flip a switch. When it’s time to go, she’s ready to go.

“It’s odd to see that mix of making sure everybody is having fun to just ultra competitive, but she can find that balance and manage it pretty well.”

During the van ride home after last year’s state championship sweep over West Des Moines Valley, Brown was the first girl in the vehicle to talk about repeating.

“It was fun to hear her say that because some of the other sophomores and juniors are maybe sitting there going, ‘Wow, we’re losing our whole team, what’s it going to be like?’” Johnson said. “For her to step out and say our goal is to compete and we expect to keep competing at the state level is cool.”

Johnson has noticed Brown will often elevate her play against tougher competition. She completed extra practice reps to handle a heavier workload this season.

“She’s got a pretty good understanding of what to do with the ball and when,” Johnson said. “She’s not just a pretty ball hitter. When we’re out of system and need a big swing from an awkward angle, she’s a person willing to step up and take that swing.”

The girl who first embraced the challenges her sister provided has already drawn interest from multiple NCAA Division I programs. She still wants to be tested.

“For me, I think my biggest thing is I want to be in a good conference,” Brown said. “You can only become better and be one of the best players by playing against other best players.”

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